Vehicle.



J. 0. SMITH.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION I'ILBD SEPT.14, 1912 1,103,226. Patented July 14, 1914.

WITNESSES INVENTOR James 6. SMITH. 0114; MW j:

, fin M Mm 1 r'run WASHINGTON. n. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES 0'. SMITH, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MACHINE PARTS COMPANY;OF ELYRIA, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1912. Serial No. 720,308.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, haveinvented certaih new and useful Improvements in Vehicles; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same. I

My invention relates to improvements in vehicles, and more particularlyto the class of vehicles which are commonly known as invalid chairs orcripple machines, by reason of their adaptability to the transportationof cripples or invalids who are incapacitated in one way or another, butat the same time are enabled to propel a specially constructed vehicleof the nature described, by use of the member or members which areintact.

In the form of my invention illustrated, I show a vehicle which isadapted to be operated by the lower limbs of an individual, for example,by one whose body or limbs are such as to render him incapable ofwalking,

but at the sametime are of such a nature as to enable him'to propel thevehicle through the use of pedals.

Hitherto, as far as I am aware, it has been customary to use rigidconnecting means between the pedals and the running gear.

This has been necessary because no suitable means have been combinedwith the other elements of the machine which would stand the pressureplacedupon them, and at the same time perform the function of admittingof some changes in this connecting rod. Moreover, it has been difficultto find means which could be operated by individuals of the characterwho deal with machines of persons, so that in addition to the fact thatthe limbs of one person may be longer than those of another, one ofthelimbs of one person may be longer than another, his welght may be sodistributed that he can most effectively operate the pedals in aparticular position, or his malady may be of such a nature as to eitherinterfere or prohibit altogether the operation of the pedals in aparticular position. This will be-better appreciated when it isunderstood that the pedals are driven by the person seated in the chairand the chair is gripped by the body in one way or another in drivingthe machine.

I have aimed to produce a chair in which the pedals could be droppedlower and moved forward, so as to change the path of the pedal in itsoperation, and at the same time produce connecting means be tween thepedal and the crank shaft which may be easily and readily changed bythose unskilled in mechanics, and which may transmit motion and powerfrom the pedals to the crank shaft without loss of either, and withouttearing the connection asunder. By this arrangement I am enabled toproduce a simplified and cheaper chair'for the trade, as well as togreatly add to the comfort and happiness of those who employ vehicles ofthis nature.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be clearfrom the particular description of the embodiment illustrated in thedrawing.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle showing an embodiment of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the connecting means. Fig. 8 is aside elevation, showing a portion of the connecting means. Fig. 4: is asection through Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings and to the particular embodiment of myinvention illustrated therein, at 6 is shown the frame 14:, which isfastened by any suitable means i I is perforated at a number of places,asv

to the frame 6. The wheel 7 is mounted upon an axis 15 to which isconnected a crank rod 16. At 17 I show pedals which are adapted to drivethe running gear of the vehicle, and which are mounted in any suitableway in the frame. In the form shown, the pedals 17 are connected to theframe head 9 by rods 18, which may be pivoted to the said frame head asshown at 20 atone end, and at the other end to the pedal as shown at 19.The pedal is likewise connected to the crank shaft by any suitableextensible means, which will properly and effectively transmit motionand power from the pedal to the crank shaft. I prefer to use such meansas are shown in the embodiment illustrated. A' connecting rod is shownat 21 pivoted at 22 to the pedal, so that the pedal remainssubstantially horizontal, no matter what its position. By connecting thetwo rods to different ends of the lower part of these pedals, such asthe web 23, I am enabledto keep the surfaces of the pedals substantiallyhorizontal when the connecting means is expanded or contracted.

and 27. A connecting member is shown at 28 having a hook 29 upon oneend, which hooks over the crank shaft 16. A finger 30 is formed adjacentthe hook as shown, and

the crank 16 is clamped between the hook' and is held in position by aset screw 31- threaded in the finger 30. The flange 33 shown at 36,which perforations are adapted to receive the hooks upon the ends of therods 24 and 25, as shown in Fig. 2. Upon. one end of the link 28 asupport 29 is formed being cut away at 30 to receive therods 24C and25'. A clamp .31also formed to receive the rods is mounted over them.

and clamped down by some suitable means, such as a bolt 60, holding therods firmly in place with their ends in the holes in the link 28.

It will be seen that the rods are so proportioned that the distancesbetween the hooks are the distances between the perforations 36, so thatthe hooks fit into adjacentperforations. When in this position, a, clampe0 which is slidably mounted upon the rods 24 and 25 is slipped toasuitable position upon these rods, and clamped down, v holding thehooks firmly in the perforations,

so that power may be readily transmitted suitable position, and slidesthe clamp up,

reclamping the rods together and thehooks firmly in the. perforations...I may. use any suitable form of clamp; I have illustrated this form, asit is most convenient for-my purpose, since it is eas1ly manipulated anddifiicult to destroy. It will also be apparent that numerous andextensive departures from the form and details of the embodiment hereused, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention,this form being shown for the purpose of clearly illustrating anembodiment of such invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the

member, and means to clamp said-rods together. The connecting rod 21consists in the 2. In a vehicle, the combination with a front wheel,rearv wheels,a frame on said wheels, a crank shaft for rotating saidrear wheels, a seat in said frame, a pedal operable from said seat, aframe head on said front wheel, a rod connecting said pedal to saidframe head, a pair of rodsconnected at one end to said pedal andprovidedwith books on the other end one of said rods being longer than theother, a connecting link provided with a hook upon one end which hooksover said crank shaft, means to fasten said crank shaft in said hookupon said link, permitting the crank shaft to turn in the hook, abearing member upon the other end of the link and substantiallyperpendicular thereto provided with bearing surfaces for said rods andmeans to clamp said rods to said bearing surfaces, said connecting linkbeing provided with perforations into which the hooks upon the rodsenter rods are clamped thereto;

3., In a vehicle, the combination ofa front wheel and a pair of rearwheels, a frame on 'said wheels, a crankshaft for rotating said ;rearwheels, a seat in said frame, a pair of pedals operable from said seat,a frame head on said front wheel, a rod connecting eachpedal to sa dframe head and pivoted thereto, a pair of rods connected at one end toeach of said pedals and provided with hooks on the other end, one ofsaidrods being longer than the other,va pair of connecting links, oneassociated with each of said pairs of rods and provided with a hookmember upon the othe end of each of the when the links and substantiallyperpendicular thereeach other to adjust the pedals upwardly to, providedwith bearing surfaces for said and rearwardly simultaneously. 10 rodsand means to clamp said rods to said In testimony whereof, I afiix mysignature bearing surfaces, said connecting links bein the presence oftwo witnesses.

ing provided with perforations into which JAMES 0. SMITH. the hooks uponthe rods enter when the rods Witnesses:

are clamped thereto, said rods and connect- M. E. WILLIAMS,

ing links being adjustable with respect to M, E. GoeHLAN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

